A New Monstrous Cruise Ship Is The Thing Of Ocean Nightmares
You would think that humanity learned its lesson about making overly gigantic boats, but Royal Caribbean has no such qualms. The cruise company just finished construction on the Icon of the Seas, which will hold the record of the world’s largest cruise ship. The garishly massive ship is 1,200 feet long and weighs an astounding 250,000 tons, which is over 300 feet longer and five times as heavy as the Titanic.
Royal Caribbean just finished building the Icon of the Season, the largest cruise ship ever built.
Of course, Royal Caribbean is no stranger to making massive cruise ships, as the Royal Caribbean blog reports that this particular vessel is six percent larger and 10 feet longer than its previous biggest boat, the Wonder of the Seas. The ship will be able to hold 7,600 passengers at maximum occupancy and nearly 10,000 people total when you account for the crew. The boat is also 20 decks high and holds numerous crazy amenities and features.
The Icon of the Seas cruise ship is set to make its maiden cruise with guests on Jan. 27, 2024, and will sail out of Miami from January 2024 through at least April 2025. The voyages are set to take guests to the Eastern and Western Caribbean for a week at a time, along with the Royal Caribbean’s own private island, Perfect Day at Coco Cay. While the size of the oceanic monstrosity is no doubt intimidating, the inside of the boat is equally maximalist.
The bow of the cruise ship will house an AquaDome, which will be host to acrobatic and aquatic shows, along with a 55-foot-tall waterfall. The dome will feature ocean views thanks to floor-to-ceiling windows. It will also feature a new “Central Park” area, which is a green space with thousands of plants along with dining and entertainment options.
The cruise ship will also be home to numerous pool areas, including the first at-sea swim-up bar called Swim & Tonic, along with the largest pool at sea known as the Royal Bay Pool. The ship will also feature a quieter infinity pool area and an adults-only pool deck.
The ship will be able to hold 7,600 passengers at maximum occupancy and nearly 10,000 people total when you account for the crew.
The Icon of the Seas also features the thrill rides that have somehow become a normal thing on cruise ships, with six massive water slides, a combination skywalk and rope course, a surfing simulator, mini-golf, sports courts, rock climbing, and more.
The boat will also feature its typical casino and nightlife options, along with some new bars like The Hideaway beach club style bar and a dueling pianos bar. There are various rooms to choose from, including a massive three-level townhouse with an in-suite slide that reportedly costs around $75,000 per week.
It will also feature a new “Central Park” area, which is a green space with thousands of plants along with dining and entertainment options.
The introduction of this gargantuan giant proves that the cruise ship industry is continuing to recover after the pandemic decimated the industry. The spread of COVID-19 on ships and lockdown measures brought the industry to all-time lows, and there is continued concern from consumers about the industry’s massive contributions to pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.
The Icon of the Seas may have green space on board, but there’s little doubt that this titan will have a carbon footprint equivalent to its monstrous size.
